American White Pelicans – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

It isn't all that often that I am able to obtain portraits of wild birds so when I had an opportunity last month to take portraits of this American White Pelican I jumped at the chance.

The caruncle or horn is a growth on the bill of American White Pelicans that occurs yearly during the breeding season.

American White Pelican gliding by over my head

So, since the temperatures have been so much warmer than normal I wouldn't be surprised to see American White Pelicans any day now.

Great Salt Lake as seen from the Antelope Island Causeway on May 13, 2012

One thing I know for certain is that we can't drink dust.

American White Pelican feeding at Bear River NWR

Every once in a while I find myself attracted to an image not just because of the subject but also because of reflections and this American White Pelican image is one of those.

A Sandhill Crane right after the sunrise

Yesterday I posted a juvenile Wilson's Phalarope and today I am posting an assortment of others birds I photographed the same day at Bear River NWR.

This American White Pelican image was taken in July near the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I like how it shows the pelican fishing for food.

American White Pelican in a fog at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

This American White Pelican image was taken on my first camping trip to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

American White Pelican flight over Bear River

One of my favorite things is to see is squadrons of American White Pelicans wheeling in the sky high overhead circling until they are out of sight.

Fluffy American White Pelican in summer plumage

I wanted to share an image of an American White Pelican in summer plumage today because summer is upon us and today marks America's Independence Day.

American White Pelican in Supplemental Plumage

I have never seen such an extreme variation of supplemental plumage in an American White Pelican and might never again.

Canada Geese in flight in front of the Promontory Mountains

I had a great deal of fun photographing the pelicans, herons, egrets and geese in flight in the rapidly changing light yesterday morning at Bear River MBR.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act has been monumentally successful and we need to insure that it continues and not allow the treaty to become weakened.

Bald Eagle landing on Bear River Christmas day 2012

This is National Wildlife Refuge Week and in celebration I wanted to do a pictorial essay that includes some of my images of the Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

American White Pelican in flight over Farmington Bay WMA

If you would like to follow some of the American White Pelicans from Utah on migration a few of them have been fitted with solar-powered GPS transmitter backpacks and the PeliTrack map shows their locations.

We still have our winter birds and the spring migrants have begun their journey north so my bird photography is likely to pick up and get exciting soon if the clouds will give me a break.

American White Pelicans are returning to their breeding grounds in Utah and I have already seen a few of them myself and though I haven't been able to photograph them yet I know I will soon.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route is still closed and many of the birders, bird photographers and nature lovers are itching to know what birds are there because after all spring migration is an exciting time at the refuge.

To me it looks like this American White Pelican was doing an impression of a floating, domestic white turkey because when the pelican was facing me nearly head on the length of pelican's long bill seemed to disappear

When the young American White Pelicans are old enough to leave the island they fly to areas like Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to learn how to catch fish on their own before they migrate in the fall.

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